When we read the scriptures we often come across terms that most saints do not have a clear working understanding of: temptations, tests, and trials. Consequently, they intermingle these terms and come up with some very inaccurate conclusions. Your Christian life and your perspective will become very confusing if you do not understand the difference between the three. For example, if your bible-based belief is that God will send cancer to you to test you, why would you even attempt to receive healing? Your faulty thought process would conclude: Why should I pray to God to take away something that he sent to me?
A test is when God places you in a situation with the objective of conducting an audit, so that you can have a clear picture of where you stand in an area. A faith that has not been tested cannot be trusted. The goal in a test is to pass, and the agenda is to produce a positive outcome. A temptation is when satan entices you to do evil, and the objective is to produce a negative outcome. The goal when we are tempted is to take the way of escape. A trial is an inevitable part of life that exists because of atmospheric sin. We will have many trials in life. We live in a fallen world, and life has not been problem free since chapter two of Genesis. Consequently, we have to deal with difficulties and challenges. The goal is to endure the trials with a good attitude.
A test is when God places you in a situation with the objective of conducting an audit, so that you can have a clear picture of where you stand in an area. A faith that has not been tested cannot be trusted. The goal in a test is to pass, and the agenda is to produce a positive outcome. A temptation is when satan entices you to do evil, and the objective is to produce a negative outcome. The goal when we are tempted is to take the way of escape. A trial is an inevitable part of life that exists because of atmospheric sin. We will have many trials in life. We live in a fallen world, and life has not been problem free since chapter two of Genesis. Consequently, we have to deal with difficulties and challenges. The goal is to endure the trials with a good attitude.